First time with Joe
July 29, 2009
I was fresh out of USAF police and dog school training. I was 20 years old and my first tour of duty was Hahn Air Base, Germany. After arriving in Germany I was instructed to go meet my kennel commander and meet the dog that was going to be assigned to me. The military moves personnel from base to base but dogs stay at each base and are assigned to handlers when they arrive about every 2 to 4 years.
My Sergeant took me down the middle of the kennel runs and of course all the dogs were barking. As we walked past this one dog in particular who was really snarling, spitting, growling and biting at the fence, I thought to myself, this is one mean dog! The Sergeant stops, points to that dog and says this is your dog, his name is Joe. He said that I would have some time to get to know him and told me I should sit outside his door and talk to him. I figured I had a few days to warm up to this dog. After about 10 minutes Joe stopped growling and snarling, he even rubbed his hindquarters along the fence as if he wanted to be scratched. When I touched him, he whipped around fast and tried to bite my fingers but instead got the fence and was pulling and bending the chain link. In my mind I thought this dog is going to kill me. I just kept talking and trying to give him treats but he wouldn’t eat them, so I just sat there. Ten minutes later my Sergeant came up handed me a leash and collar and told me I needed to take him out right now so we can do some training. I thought he was kidding me. He said Joe would be fine once you open the kennel door. I’m 20 years old, fresh out of Military training. When a higher-ranking person tells you to do something, you do it. I was scared but I did what I was told. I opened the gate, walked inside. The sergeant was right, Joe waged his tail and I told him to sit and I put the collar on. Joe was displaying a behavior called barrier aggression. (I’ll blog about that one another time). Joe and I spent 3 years together and competed to become the best Military K-9 team in Europe. We even competed in a world-wide competition where he finished 9 out of 15 dogs.
I have a few more stories I think you’ll enjoy. I also have some video footage of Joe and I and will post it soon.
DNA Breed Identification Test
July 28, 2009
Since I’m around dogs and dog owners a lot, I find they are really curious about what exact breed or mix their dog is. The question is would they be willing to pay to find out? There are several DNA dog breed testing companies you can find on the Internet and a few pet stores. It’s a painless procedure, just cotton swab a little of your dog’s saliva, send it through the mail and within a few weeks you’ll get the answer.
Although knowing might help alert you to some potential health risk common in particular breeds, would there be anything you could do about it and because mix breeds don’t always suffer the same health risks as the pure breeds, would it just be a lot of worrying for nothing? So from my perspective, the only advantage knowing is well, knowing.
If you just gotta know, DNA kits are available here DNA BREED TESTS
10 Doggy Workouts
July 27, 2009
Some dogs have boundless amounts of energy, here are (more than 10) ways to help tire them out.
1. Having your dog carry a dog back pack on your daily walks around the block. To add weight to them, use sand or water bottles. The packs can be found at pet shops or on the Internet.
2. Obedience or trick training. Mental exercise is tiring also, owners don’t give this one the credit it deserves. It’s a great way to exercise your dog both physically and mentally
3. Visits the dog park, or a park with no dogs. Find an owner that has a dog with similar energy levels and set up play dates once or twice a week.
DOG PARK ETIQUETTE: Don’t bring aggressive dogs! ( seek professional help). Don’t bring your dog’s favorite toy, don’t feed other peoples dogs, clean up after your dog, use biodegradable bags and watch out for fast running dogs. It’s a great place to practice the training your dog learned at home.
4. Doggy day care. Veterinarians usually have the phone number to the best ones
5. Dog walkers, even a half hour walk in the middle of the day can do wonders. Hopefully the dog walker will let them off leash or play fetch or tug of war and not just a boring walk around the block.
6. To keep your dog busy while you’re away, toys like Buster Cubes, Kong’s (filled with goodies), large meaty (Raw) bones, frozen ice toys are like puzzles for dogs and help stimulate them mentally for hours.
7. Walk, run, bike, hike or just taking your dog shopping with you. Stop off at one of these U.S. stores while doing your shopping, radio shack, Home depot or Lowes, all Pet shops, coffee shops, some bowling allies, outlet malls, flea markets and many others. I even was able to take my dogs into a movie theater. Unfortunately there are limited places that allow dogs here in Australia, but they do have some good dog beaches. One thing that is starting to happen here, and I think other places is, you can register your dog as a companion dog, no longer do you need to have a disability to have your dog accompany you during your daily outings. Cool huh?
8. Go to a beach or lake and let your dog swim. Play tug of war, read my blog for the rules> tug-of-war-game
9. If your dog is ball crazy and you don’t have the throwing arm you used too, add a tennis racket or one of those throwing arms devises. Your dog will love it! Watch this funny video
Tennis ball launcher <a href=\”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PcL6-mjRNk\”>
10. Practicing agility, which is an obstacle course for dogs, also fly ball, canine freestyle (dog dancing), and Frisbee throwing. If you have a treadmill, you might as well teach them to exercise on it.
Some of these things may tire you out too! Have Fun!
10 Reasons Why Dogs Chew
July 21, 2009
Chewing is a normal dog behavior, and as you’ll see from this list, chewing is driven by many things. It’s important to understand why your dog chews. You have a huge influence of what a dog chews on and how long the chewing lasts. You can keep destructive chewing to a minimum with proper exercise, training and redirection techniques.
1. Testing: Throughout your dog’s life they may test items by chewing them to see if something good comes of it.
2. Teething: Has 2 stages, first around 2 months old when their milk (puppy) teeth are coming in and the second stage and the start of the destructive stage, between 4-6 months as the milk teeth fall out and are replaced by the adult teeth. Puppies must instinctively chew to help their teeth go through this process. It also helps relieve tenderness of the teeth and gums.
3. Keeps gums & teeth, clean & strong: Humans brush, dogs chew.
4. Responsibility: As your puppy goes through the teenage months, approximately 6 months to a year, they must chew because instinct tell them they may need to go hunt for food, protect the pack and themselves.
5. Exercises jaw muscles: We go to the gym, dogs chew. Around 7-8 months old is the height of the destructive stage for chewing. Chewing can last for months even years if modification techniques aren’t used.
6. Anxiety or tension: Chewing helps relieve a dog of tension or anxiety.
7. Boredom: A lonely or bored dog will be more destructive and chew for longer periods of time.
8. Practice: Instinct tells them to practice.
9. Smells good, tastes good, feels good or they may just be hungry and they want to chew on something.
10. An obsession: Dogs can develop obsessive chewing disorders .
Please leave a question or comment about this blog
Age to Start Training
July 21, 2009
Puppies can learn from the moment they arrive home. Housebreaking is the first thing to focus on. It can take a few weeks for them to develop the knowledge and muscle control; there is no magic pill here. The speed at which it takes to housebreak a puppy depends on the owner and how much time they can devote to the training. With proper training and/or knowledge you will see results sooner than later. It’s the number one behavioral issue I deal with, I have many clients tell me about the almost perfect results they got after just one lesson with me.
Before 4 months of age: We can teach many things like sit, stay, down, come etc.. without the use of any correction type collars or correction training methods. Puppies really don’t get “trained” at this age, we just use conditioning and shaping techniques. There are also some nonabrasive dog to dog techniques we can duplicate to help our young puppies learn faster.
Between 4 and 6 month: This is the perfect time to start “Formal Training”, which means beginning a round of consistent training using a leash and collar. At this stage, your puppy is like a sponge and very eager to learn. They have the ability to retain more information and for a longer period of time. It’s also a good time to expose them to many different environments and situations.
Between 6 months and a year: At this stage your dog is going through mental changes; training during this time will be more challenging. Your cute little puppy is now paying more attention to the things around them and not on you. Because they are more distracted you must have more patience and keep reminding them of the lessons they need to learn.
Around a year old: Your puppy is now a young adult and is somewhat out of the teenage stage. Another round of consistent training is highly recommended. Sit, Stay, Down and Come should all be advanced by now and trained on and off leash around different situations.
A year and beyond: Even though your dog may know some basic commands, this doesn’t mean you’re out of the woods. Think of it as a person learning a foreign language, if they don’t practice they will loose some of it. Dogs can learn at any age, so just keep teaching and practicing. If you’ve done all the proper training and socializing and your dog has had minimal behavioral issues, you can now stray from some of the rules. If you want to know what this means, please contact me.
THINK LIKE A TRAINER
July 18, 2009
Tip #5 Teaching a dog to ” Check in”. Dogs are not aware of the dangers in the world and for their own safety you need to teach them to check in or wait until you give permission to do the things they want. Things like jumping in or out of the car, running to play with another dog, greeting someone, jumping up on the sofa or on you, may sound innocent but there can be dangers associated with these activities. To condition them to “Check in” you need to teach them a good ”STAY” and more importantly, a “Release” command, “OKAY”, “FREE” or “BREAK.
Tip #4 Don’t use one word that has different meanings. If you want your dog to get off you, don’t say “Down!”, say “off!” if you want your dog to sit, don’t say “Sit Down”, say “sit!” if you want your dog to jump off of the couch, don’t say “Get Down” because they will be very confused if you then want them to “Lay Down”. At first your dog will not learn the position that you are rewarding them for, they’re learning how they got there, so try to think of using a word or words per body movement.
If you have a bad habit of saying “down”, use “Drop” “flat” “Lie” or “banana” for down
Tip #3 Teach Basic Obedience commands. People don’t give this one the credit it deserves. As humans we start out learning the basics, from there we can achieve greatness. Dogs need to understand at least 5 basic commands and 3 advanced ones (shaking paws doesn’t count as one) I’m not talking about in the kitchen holding a treat in front of their nose, luring them into position. I’m talking about control from a distance, around distractions with or without treats. If done correctly obedience training not only teaches them what to do, but also teaches them what not to do.
Tip #2. Never ask a dog to do something unless you’re going to back it up. I see so many people make this mistake. If a dog doesn’t listen, you need to follow through, if a dog listens, you need to follow through. If you don’t follow through, a dog will start to ignore you!
Tip #1. Dogs need to learn to earn. Dog are always being rewarded for their actions all the time anyway, so why not reward them for listening to you instead of rewarding them for just standing there looking at you, jumping up on you, getting all excited and plowing into your leg? You have something a dog wants and needs: treats, toys, praise etc. You need to teach a dog to “earn it” in order to get it. Have them do something like sit, stay, fetch a ball or come on command etc.
I will be posting a new “Think like a trainer” tip soon, please keep checking back. If you subscribe with just your email, you will be notified when I post something new
iPHONE PET FIRST AID APPLICATION
July 16, 2009
Introducing the pet first aid mobile application, your first stop for critically important pet information.
Your four-legged family members rely on you for their care, so be prepared 24/7 for a medical emergency. From cuts and impalement, to choking and CPR, Pet First Aid is at your fingertips with detailed articles, video, and illustrations to help you care for your dog or cat. Record your pet’s vital medical information to ensure their veterinarian is never more than a touch away, and your pet will never miss another vaccination. Pet First Aid is loaded with detailed videos and step-by-step illustrations so you’ll know exactly what to do when caring for your pet. Videos include: restraint, muzzling, CPR, bandaging, and many more. All articles, videos, and illustrations are bundled with the application for offline or wilderness access. Featuring dozens of articles, including: bleeding, poisoning, drowning, recue breathing and CPR, muzzling, restraining, disaster preparedness, bites and stings, burns, and many more. In addition, Pet First Aid allows you to save vital medical information for all your pets. Easily record their vaccinations, identifications, veterinarian contact info, medications, allergies & conditions, and any other notes for reference when visiting the veterinarian.
Learn more at http://jive.me/
All content developed by PetTech of Vacaville, experts in Pet First Aid and Pet Emergency Preparedness training.
Software development provided by Jive Media, makers of the #1 best-selling first aid application in the Apple App Store
Treadmills for Dogs?
July 16, 2009
Some behaviorist are recommending to dog owners to exercise their dog on a treadmill, which in turn will help eliminate their behavioral issues. Its true dogs need exercise and if a dog is tired they are less likely to partake in inappropriate behavior, but the treadmill alone won’t cure a dog’s behavior issues.
Dogs are descendants from wolves. When wolves go hunting, the great advantage they have against their prey is endurance. They run their prey to exhaustion in order to catch them. Not all, but many dogs have what seems to be an endless amount of endurance. Placing a dog on a treadmill might tire them out a few times, but they will adapt as they would with other forms of exercise.
The treadmill also doesn’t offer the mental exercise that’s essential to a dog. Mental exercise acquired by chasing their prey, or chasing and finding a ball, doing obedience or an agility obstacle course. Mental and physical exercises are in-direct ways for curing behavioral issues. You still need to apply Behavior modification techniques to directly modify a dog’s behavior. Read, Direct and In-Direct
Giving your dog an exercise outlet so they don’t take it out on your couch, or hiring a professional to obtain the knowledge needed to apply behavior modification solutions, will ultimately help cure or avoid behavioral issues from even starting. The treadmill ( DOG TREADMILL LINK) works great if there are no other exercise options available. If you already have one, you might as well train your dog how to use it, sounds like fun. Just don’t rely on it like some behaviorist would like you to think.
To find 10 other exercise options available, see my blog 10 Doggy Workouts
I found this funny video on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APl2nT3T3PU
NOISE PHOBIAS
July 14, 2009
If your dog is showing signs or is fearful of noise caused by fireworks, thunder, lightning and gunfire sounds etc. you must do these three things to help cure your dog of this condition.
First, don’t ever pet or try to comfort a dog when they are showing nervousness or showing fear. There is no such thing as comforting in a dog’s world. You’re not helping your dog when you do this; you’re making the problem worst.
Second, use desensitization/redirection techniques. You do this by exposing them to the negative noise in very small increments, usually when the noise is far away and/or barely audible. At the same time you are redirecting their thoughts to something pleasant like playing with them, using a ball or toy. The object is to get your dog to concentrate on what you’re doing and not on the thing they’re afraid of. As your dog shows progress then do the same distraction methods as the sound becomes louder or closer to you. To help you with this, you can find pre-recorded noises with thunder or fireworks on the Internet or just go to YouTube. You can also redirect their focus with obedience and what I call “Tease Play”.
This is the third thing and to me the most important is obedience training. Obedience training is an indirect way to help cure your dog’s phobias or other behavioral issues. Your dog should understand at least 5 basic and 3 advanced commands. Your dog should be able to execute these commands in and around distractions and at least 5 feet away from you. When done correctly, obedience training help to build a dog’s confidence, builds a better trusting relationship with you and helps them understand exactly what you’re trying to teach them. Good obedience helps accelerate your dog’s learning and it helps cure noise or other phobias.
Top 10 Smartest Breeds
July 10, 2009
Some of the more-trainable breeds were tested to determine which breeds might be smarter. The tests judged how quickly they learned obedience commands and how quickly they solved problems. Regardless of who’s #1 a lot of our dogs potential depends on us, the more active we are with them, the more knowledge we have, the more training we do, our dogs will become smarter. So keep reading from blog sites like mine and your dog will be competing for a spot in the top ten. However, don’t get your hopes too high as I think the breed in the #1 spot has nothing to worry about.
10. Australian cattle dog
9. Rottweiler
8. Papillon
7. Labrador
6. Shetland Sheepdog
5. Doberman
4. Golden Retriever
3. German Shepherd
2. Poodle
1. Border Collie
